Sunita Williams set to pilot Starliner spacecraft for her first trip to ISS in 12 years

Following years of delays and numerous setbacks during test flights, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is finally set to make its inaugural crew launch.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, two of NASA's most seasoned astronauts, will be the pilots of the Crew Flight Test mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

The two veteran astronauts will travel to and from the International Space Station, marking what could be a historic and long-awaited victory for the beleaguered Starliner programme.

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“We love the Kennedy Space Center because this is where you launch humans into space," Butch Wilmore told reporters and added, "In less than two weeks, the next flight we take we'll be laying on our backs and (launching) into the heavens."

"This is where the rubber meets the road, where we are going to leave this planet, and that is pretty darn cool,” said Sunita Williams.

Notably, Sunita Williams is going to the International Space Station after 12 years. Williams boasts a seasoned career with two previous space missions under her belt — Expeditions 14/15 and 32/33.

On Thursday (Apr 25), NASA and Boeing gave the go-ahead for a launch attempt within the next two weeks. But officials are stressing flexibility.

“May 6th is the target, but liftoff will only happen when everything is ready,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate.

This successful mission would mark a major milestone. Boeing's Starliner would join SpaceX's Crew Dragon in carrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station, ensuring a reliable flow of crew for the orbiting lab.

“This is history in the making,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said of the upcoming Starliner mission during a news conference, “We’re now in the golden era of space exploration.”

Watch:Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams set for third space mission

Astronauts Wilmore and Williams, both ex-Navy test pilots aim to dock at the space station on May 8th. If their mission goes well, they'll return to Earth around May 15th.

A successful mission paves the way for regular Starliner crew rotations starting in 2025, with launches alternating between Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon. This would provide NASA with a robust two-company system for ferrying astronauts to the station.

SpaceX and Boeing developed their individual vehicles under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, a partnership with private industry contractors.

Since the beginning, NASA's plan was to have both SpaceX and Boeing operational. This means their Crew Dragon and Starliner capsules would act as backups for each other. In case of technical problems or delays with one spacecraft, astronauts could still launch on the other. This two-capsule system provides redundancy and ensures a more reliable path to space for NASA's crews.

NASA at first did not envision that SpaceX’s Crew Dragon would function on its own for nearly four years before Boeing’s Starliner reached its first crewed test flight.

Earlier in 2014, when NASA awarded contracts to SpaceX and Boeing, the space agency initially leaned towards Boeing as it hasbeen a trusted partner since the mid-20th century. However, SpaceX on the other hand, was a young and ambitious company, seen by some at NASA as a bit of a gamble.

(With inputs from agencies)